Research & Development

The desire to keep innovating has led Yunca to invest their design, engineering and manufacturing capabilities into helping bring new technologies that have an engineering component to market.

Notable projects include Yunca working alongside two of New Zealand’s pre-eminent research institutes, to help interpret the research science and develop engineering solutions for the commercialisation of two quite different developing technologies; the EnPot heat exchanger technology for use in aluminium smelters, and the Hydrogen Califont heating system.

HYDROGEN CALIFONT HEATING SYSTEM

The science behind the Hydrogen Califont heating system has been developed by Callaghan Innovation and involves using photovoltaic electricity generated from solar panels, to separate and capture hydrogen from cold water. The stored hydrogen is then used for water heating.

Yunca were approached by Callaghan Innovation to develop the water heating system for this project. Hydrogen is a notoriously difficult product to use in water heating systems. Yunca decided to take a commercially practical approach and build a prototype conversion kit to convert existing water heaters from natural gas to Hydrogen, rather than develop a bespoke unit.

Yunca has been awarded the manufacturing, distribution and marketing rights for the Hydrogen Califont water heating conversion system.

"Callaghan Innovation have been working with Yunca for a few years now on the Hydrogen Califont heating system, and have been impressed with how they have interpreted the science and come up with solutions for the water heating system.

While we are a little way off a commercial product, to date things are looking good. We have a great deal of confidence in Yunca’s forward thinking and background expertise when it comes to energy conversion and thermal systems." - A I Gardiner IResearch EngineerI Callaghan Innovation

ENPOT HEAT EXCHANGER TECHNOLOGY

In 2009 Yunca were approached by the Light Metals Research Centre (LMRC) of The University of Auckland to help with development of the LMRC Heat Exchanger technology for application inside aluminium smelters.

ENPOT Heat Exchangers

In particular, Yunca were asked to design the clamping/mounting system to quickly and easily mount the exchangers onto the pot shells, design a balanced duct and extraction fan system, and design the exchanger mechanism that could be produced by pressing in a single step.

In close association with the LMRC the two parties successfully developed the EnPot Heat Exchanger technology to the point it was successfully installed on 􏰀􏰁pots in a smelter in Germany in 􏰁􏰂􏰀􏰃. The EnPot heat exchanger technology is now ready for commercialisation.

In 2013 Yunca signed a manufacturing license for the heat exchangers, and is now seeking a partnership with LMRC through its commercial arm, Auckland UniServices Ltd, for the global commercialisation of the EnPot technology.

Enpot Trial Pot Ducting Design

Light weight cell hoods

In the past 24 months Yunca redesigned and light-weighted the traditional cell hoods used in smelters for the NZAS and Dubal smelters. Coupled with offering three different insulating solutions, Yunca now have the contract to supply cell hoods.

cathode bars

Research and development on cathode bar performance and improvement (since the 1990’s).

FULL VACUUM CHAMBER USE GLOVES

In conjunction with NASA's supplier for space suit gloves we developed for full vacuum chamber use.